Recipe: Lemon Potato Chowder
Cold weather conjures memories of my mom’s creamy potato soup, with its tiny pools of melted butter and black pepper flecks on the surface. It was rich and sating, but also simple and balanced.
That simplicity and balance was front and center as I invented my own take on my mom’s recipe. A cache of lemons on my countertop presented the chance to push the envelope. I wanted a soup that was creamy, sure, but also tangy and vivid. My potato soup is every bit as comforting as the recipe I remember, but the hint of zest and generous squeeze of lemon enliven the dish, making for a happy, almost playful soup that pops.
With such a simple list of ingredients, details matter. You’ll want to cook the onions with care, until they’re supple and almost melt into the butter. Then, give the same care to the celery and carrots.
When puréeing the soup, I like to leave a bit of texture; you can do this by either pulsing just until soup is mostly smooth or removing the potatoes with a slotted spoon, blending them with a few cups of broth, and then stirring back into the textured broth.
Lemon Potato Chowder
Serves 6 to 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons
unsalted butter
- 1
medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon
kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon
red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
- 2
medium stalks celery, diced
- 1
medium carrot, diced
- 4 cloves
garlic, minced
- 6
small Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 4 cups
(1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2
fresh or dried bay leaves
- 3/4 cup
half-and-half
- 1/4 cup
freshly squeezed lemon juice
Fresh parsley leaves, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and very soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the celery, carrot, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes more.
Stir in the potatoes and cook 2 minutes. Add the stock, lemon zest, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, 20 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves. Purée the soup in a stand blender or with an immersion blender until it is just smooth but still has a bit of texture. Return to the pot. Stir in the half-and-half and then the lemon juice. Reheat over low heat until warm. Taste and season with salt or pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley if using.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.